Official "Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera" Reviews Thread- Page 6

[AbsolutKnight]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 7:32am

I went to see it last night, and my biggest complaint was that the theatre I saw it in had problems with the speakers. So starting with the overture and throughout the entire movie, anytime the movie got loud the speakers would make this loud cracking noise.

We saw people complaining afterwards to a manager but he pretty much didn't care and said "sorry".

Posted: 12/23/04 at 9:18am

What theatre? In NYC?

[broadway geek]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 9:42am

I'm going again today and I think I'm just going to sit back and relax and it will be a lot better.

[JC14]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 10:42am

I don't want to go into too much detail because then I'll be typing forever but...I absolutely loved the film. Granted, Phantom will always have a special place in my heart because it was the first show I ever saw when I was five and I've seen it about 4 times in total. That aside, I think the film is absolutely gorgeous.

Emmy was luminous. Gorgeous, gorgeous voice and her acting was brilliant. So direct, consistent, and specific. Not to mention that she's stunningly beautiful. Her performance was just so well rounded and she really carried the movie.

I actually, really, really, really thought Gerard was great. I was honestly prepared not to like him...but truthfully, despite of/or because of his lack of vibrato, I thought his voice was so perfect. He had so much emotion when he sang and he truly acted his way through the songs. I thought he was phenomenal. That one moment after Christine kisses him was absolutely breathtaking. I do think there was a tendency in the film to paint the phantom as more of a murderer than a tortured soul, but I chalk that up to Schumacher's direction and not Gerard's performance. I loved him, I thought he was wonderful. I wish they had done more with the make-up.

I liked Patrick. Singing was great, acting was fine, but that was really all there was. He doesn't do much in the movie/play, so he was just kind of there.

I don't know, the movie's all spectacle but so's the stage show. If people are looking for this to be the next Chicago, it definitely won't be. I appreciate the fact that it is the entire show on film. I really, really, enjoyed it -- but I'm a phantom enthusiast. If you don't like the show, you won't like the movie because they haven't done much in the way of tweaking it.

Emmy is absolutely brilliant.

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 1:43pm

I've never see so many picky theatre goers before with complains about such little things or for the sole reason that it's "not the way it was done on stage!" Did you really not like the way they added the Phantom's backstory because it made the movie bad or did you instinctively dismiss it because it was different from the show?

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 2:26pm

I liked the Phantom back story. It's in the book and helps make the character more understandable and sympathetic, as opposed to just being another bitter creepy pedophile.

(PS MsNina, I noticed the same thing! On Zepka's POTO review thread, we actually commented on the heaving bosom and sexy eye makeup that just sprung up once Christine went into the lair as well. Go figure.)

[Matt_G]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 2:28pm

And while I really loved what the very last scene added to the story, did it remind anyone else of the end of FRIED GREEN TOMATOES?

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 2:30pm

I'm trying to figure out if the opening shot of the movie with the candle reminded anyone of the opening of SCHINDER'S LIST.

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 7:38pm

Ok, I've seen it 3 times now. The tomb definitely says 1854-1917. The bed looks like a seashell. Gerard did have drastic hair loss after she took the mask off in Point of no return and when he kidnapped her. I guess hair loss is stress related.

[Feathah]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 8:10pm

Just going back to the theater tangent - I saw it at the Ziegfeld. As expected from this movie theater the sound was gorgeous!

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 8:32pm

Does it get better the second time around (for those of you who have seen it multiple times)? I saw Chicago three times in the theatres and it got better each time. There are so many movies out now that I want to see...I was wondering if it's worth seeing more than once. I thoroughly enjoyed it the first time...but did anyone enjoy it more the second time?

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 8:54pm

Just saw the flick. Total B-grade popcorn schlock but, you know, I sort of dug it. I agree with every criticism but, at the end of the show, I was sort of into it.

I would say with stronger male leads it would have been a MUCH better movie. Rossum was right there but Butler wasn't a strong enough singer and Wilson came off more like Frederick from 'Pirates of Penzance.'

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 8:57pm

I have have seen it 3 times and it IS getting better each.

[MsNina]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 10:09pm

thanks type A, good to know i wasn't seeing things. had a giggle when i noticed that everyone's hair, make-up, and steadily falling neckline started swaying from period piece to sex kitten. i thought meg looked a little like britney spears by the end of the movie.

i enjoyed the movie the first time, and the second time was just as fun.

[broadway geek]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 10:16pm

It got better the second time I saw it as well (except the title song confused me even more).

And now I have a few questions. When Meg discovers the sliding mirror is that the day after or like a week or so, b/c there were cobwebs on the candelabras etc. but why would she wait so long to look for her friend? Couldn't figure that out.

They actually show some wigs in the Phantom's lair, I noticed them when he was getting ready before Don Juan.

I'm not trying to bash Emmy, I think she is talendted and I enjoyed her in this role, but doesn't it seem like she always has the same look on her face? Even when she's crying it really dosen't change that much, maybe once or twice during the entire film.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 10:17pm

What was with Meg's costume in the last scene?

Did I miss the part where she became a pirate?

[Matt_G]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 10:18pm

Well since the Phantom lived inside the Pirates of the Caribbean, she was dressed appropriately.

Updated On: 12/23/04 at 10:18 PM

[broadway geek]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 10:23pm

I though the same thing when I saw it, but the second time I looked for it. She is shown offstage finishing her costume change by putting on a belt while the Phantom and Christine are singing PONR.

[ckeaton]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 12:51am

I just got in from seeing the movie.

I enjoyed it very much. I found the cemetery scene to be especially haunting, though just about every scene had something to love.

I think that some of the issues that y'all bring up here are a little nitpicky though. I remember the horse to the lair being in the book, I believe... and even though we see it for ten feet, we have to extrapolate it out a bit. As for the running deer, I considered it as something that triggered Raoul's memory of riding the white horse to the cemetery.

I hope to see it several times, and the DVD will be a surefire addition. :)

I truly hope it's successful.

[magelet21]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 12:56am

Personally, I loved it.

1. The Phantom was played extremely well. Sensual and erotic for the first third, scary and erotic (I'm twisted about it, deal) and then scary and almost pathetic (pitiful? hard to find a word choice) for the last third. Redemption accomplished. Very happy.

2. Emmy Rossum deserves her Golden Globe award for her role as Christine. She plays the character much better than I had expected and better than some stage interpretations I've seen. I also love her voice. I've never been a huge fan of Sarah Brightman, who sounds a bit shrill. Rossum is much more palatable.

3. Never liked Raoul...end of story. But the guy is what he's supposed to be.

4. Webber did all the orchestral changes, so it's fluid with the tone of the show/movie.

5. Intelligent transitions that do a better job of furthering the plot than can occur on stage.

6. They moved the part where the chandelier drops, but it was moved to the point where I always thought it should have dropped (but for staging reasons doesn't)

Issues...
1. Sometimes a little too much exposition or recitation of lines that were sung in the show and should stay sung.

2. Not sure I like the "back story" provided for Phantom (my preferred back story is Susan Kay's novel "Phantom")

3. I got jarred here and there because of lyrical changes (expect that if you're a huge fan of the broadway version...not bad changes, but a dropped line here, an added one there).

4. The over the credits song by Minnie Driver is just unnecessary. She has a pretty folksy kind of voice, but it's just not needed. Make it go away.

[DreamFlyer22]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 10:59pm

In response to the question of the movie getting better with a second view... I can say that yes, it does. Err, well.. it did for me. I saw it again this afternoon with my boyfriend after being part of the very first screening in my area on Wednesday. I really enjoy this film, though I think if I had to descibe it in one word, I would call it, "uneven."

I went in prepared to be quite disappointed- I bought the soundtrack the day it came out and was completely underwhelmed by both Gerard Butler and Emmy Rossum. In fact, for my first viewing on Wednesday I was so focused on the vocals, (did anyone else who knows the score get nervous when you knew a big note was coming up? "Ooo. Here it comes. Can he hold it?... Ooof.") that I think I tuned out a lot that was *good* in the film. I still loved it... I just became absorbed in my own little singing-only world. For instance, I totally missed the fact that the Phantom had a wig, (hense the BIG change in hair when he's unmasked- which other people noted here).

Second viewing I just sat back and decided to fully enjoy what I DID love the first time... and give the other stuff a second chance. Emmy's voice actually isn't as bad as I thought it was the first time- she has a tendency to SWOOP up to notes which grates on my nerves, but she also has some chillingly GOOD moments too- that little growl in "Point of No Return" was REALLY awesome. Gerard, as others have noted, is a rock and roll singer... which shows. But just listening to the soundtrack and passing judgement on him based solely on that isn't fair. His acting is PHENOMINAL. By the end where the Phantom has been reduced to a shell of the imposing shadowy menace he once was and is left staring forlornly in to the face of the music box monkey, I was crying. "Christine, I love you." really seems to come from somewhere deep. Match up the singing with the acting and it makes a lot more sense. Sure, he has his rather extremely FLAT moments when he's singing... (am I crazy, or did they do something to fix the climax note in "Music of the Night" for the theaters?? It sounds MUCH different from my soundtrack. Digital pitch correction, maybe?) Overall, though, he really impressed me.

A couple little things- There's a moment in the Phantom's lair where Raoul is tied to the grating with the Phantom holding the noose around his neck. His head swivvels wildly while singing. I dunno what it was, but I actually LAUGHED rather inappropriately. Perhaps it's because Patrick Wilson's head does this ODD thing and both men just seem to be set on over-emote. It was the only 'bad acting' moment for me... my boyfriend looked at me like I was nuts for laughing. Watching it a second time didn't help it for me. I STILL found it amusing.

((And on a side note... I've decided to stop lurking and actually join the board! *waves to everyone*))

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 11:15pm

*waves back at DreamFlyer* Thank you for your insightful post and not being a Wicklynite!

I agree with you on being a bit concerned after hearing the soundtrack, but the soundtrack doesn't do justice to the movie itself, which is great.

Any opinions on Emmy's blank looks? Some (cough Thespian_Geek cough ) say it's because she's in a trance when she's with the POTO. Fair enough I say, but it seemed that was her ONLY expression aside from the part where she looks mildly frightened after ripping off the Phantom's mask the first time.

[luvliza89]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 12:06am

Me and my mom saw it today.

LOVED IT.

Mom totally digged it, and I'm seeing it with my friends wednesday and friday again. Just loved it all. Mom found no harsh words to saw about the Phantom's voice.

Loved it.

Posted: 12/25/04 at 1:20am

I'm the typical Sondheim snob although I'm a bit more mixed on ALW than some... I liked it. it hought it was a fun, completely over the top spectacle--and they filmed it the only way possible.

It's funny the bad reviews largely critique the original score and source not the film

E

[pab]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 4:20am

CNN's take on the movie.
Review